Mike
Anderson returns to Moscow and the University of Idaho as the Vandals’
linebackers coach after having played linebacker and defensive end for the
Vandals from 2002-05. Most recently, Anderson has been on the staff at the
University of Washington but he also served as a graduate assistant at Idaho in
2008.

“He’s
a Vandal. He was a great player here,” head coach Paul Petrino said in
announcing Anderson’s joining his staff at Idaho. “He has a lot of pride. He
wants to see this program where it needs to be.”

Petrino
knows some of Anderson’s coaching mentors and they endorsed their former
student.

“I
like his passion,” Petrino said. “He’ll be a great teacher. That’s the biggest
thing I was looking for – guys who will be great teachers and motivators. And
he has a lot of connections in the Northwest.”

After
graduating from Idaho in the spring of 2006, Anderson first was a student
assistant at Washington State University then was a graduate assistant in 2007
before returning to Moscow.

He
headed west to Seattle and the University of Washington in 2009. Among his
duties as an assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Football and
Football Defensive Assistant for the Huskies in 2011 and 2012 were: assisting
in all aspects of the football strength and conditioning program; creating and
producing position specific training, and assisting with weekly game plan
preparation, charting game day tendencies, protections, and assisting in
defensive run game adjustments.

From
2009-10, he was the Huskies’ Defensive Graduate Assistant and Assistant
Linebackers Coach. He recruited Colorado and National Recruiter as well as
coaching the offensive and special teams scout teams; video breakdown and
computer entry for opponents and self scout; assisted with scouting reports and
game plan preparation, and charted game day tendencies, protections, and
assisted in defensive run game adjustments.

While
at Idaho in 2008, he was a Defensive Graduate Assistant and Assistant Defensive
Line Coach. He coached the offensive and special teams scout teams, video
breakdown and computer entry for opponents and self scout; assisted with
scouting reports and game plan preparation, and charted game day tendencies,
protections, and assisted in defensive run game adjustments. He recruited Utah.

In
2007, he was a Defensive Graduate Assistant and Assistant Linebackers Coach at
Washington State University. He was Cougars’ placekicking coach in the spring
then focused on the defense in the fall when he coached the offensive and
special teams scout teams, video breakdown and computer entry for opponents and
self scout; assisted with scouting reports and game plan preparation, and
charted game day tendencies, protections, and assisted in defensive run game
adjustments. He recruited the Eastern Seaboard and assisted with recruiting in
Texas.

His
first year with the Cougars was 2006 when he was Defensive Quality
Control/Linebackers. Among his duties were video breakdown and computer entry
for opponents and self scout, and assisting with scouting reports and game plan
preparation, and charting game day tendencies, protections, and assisted in defensive
run game adjustments

His
playing career at Idaho began during his redshirt freshman season when he had
51 total tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. His best season was 2003 when he led
the Vandals in total tackles with 97 and added another four tackles for loss to
his total. He wrapped up his Idaho career with 247 total tackles (140 solo and
107 assists), 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions (one of
which was returned 71 yards to score against Utah State during his senior
season), five pass breakups, six quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, six
fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks.

Anderson
earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Finance from Idaho in 2006 and
completed his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Idaho in 2009.

He
is a graduate of Lewiston (Idaho) High School where he played football and
basketball, and was a sprinter on the track team.